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The human cost of the Global Gag Rule

9 February 2017

IPPF has now compiled data outlining how the reinstatement of the Global Gag Rule will affect people’s health around the world.

Our global network of local partners delivers more than 300 services every minute of every day. During President Trump’s term, we will forego approximately USD$100m funding from the US government, which would have supported our family planning and HIV programmes for women with the greatest need for these health care services.

The regions most affected are sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.

In practical terms, this level of funding could have prevented:

20,000 maternal deaths

4.8 million unintended pregnancies

1.7 million unsafe abortions

It could have also provided:

treatment to 275,000 pregnant women living with HIV to protect their health and help prevent transmission of HIV to their infants

70 million condoms to prevent unintended pregnancies, HIV and other STIs

725,000 HIV tests to enable people to know their HIV status

The foregone funding could have also treated 525,000 sexually transmitted infections.

As an organisation that seeks to protect and improve the lives of women, men and children around the world, IPPF and its partners in 170 countries will not sign a policy that denies human rights and puts the lives of women at risk.

We are working with governments and others to bridge this new funding gap and help keep our clinics open.

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